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Ahead of marking his six-year milestone as manager, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his longevity in North London is inextricably linked to delivering trophies.

A Look Back: The Arteta Era

Arteta took over on the 20th of December in 2019 and soon guided the team to an FA Cup victory within months. But, that early success is still his only top-tier trophy since succeeding Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” Arteta responded in response to a query about remaining in charge after his current deal. “However, it is about today. And many things must occur in the coming months as well to earn the right.”

Saturday night brings the anniversary with a game facing Everton, the identical team Arsenal faced immediately following his hiring was confirmed.

Present Challenges

With chasing Manchester City taking on West Ham on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal risk losing the summit in the Premier League for the first time. This comes even with Arteta overseeing a squad that has suffered more than a century of fitness issues from the beginning of last season.

Arteta currently has 18 months remaining on the extension he agreed to in 2024, however, he knows that success is required promptly.

Earning the Right

The manager expanded, emphasizing the constant necessity to justify his role. “My belief is that a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that is determined by how you react, how you communicate, how you go into the dressing room, the signal you send.”

Arteta continued, expressing gratitude for the strong backing from the club's ownership, but pinpointing the squad's dedication as paramount. “In the final analysis, the key individuals are those players... During my tenure, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, desire to learn and give the maximum to the team.”

Injury Concerns

The squad faces the weekend fixture dealing with yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been ruled out with a strain that is expected to see him miss action for the coming weeks.

A Different Club

Regardless of the injury crisis and the high-stakes environment, Arteta feels the club's “priorities and messaging” are vastly different from when he began his reign.

He pointed to the record-breaking achievements as a sign they are nearing their goal. “Examine the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still have yet to do that [win trophies]. But that shows the standard we operate at.”

He finished by saying, “That is a level that the Premier League has not seen before in the past. And our aim is to achieve even higher goals. And if we do that, I think we are on the right path to winning.”